BMW 5 Series Touring 535i M Sport Review: Real Estate

BMW 5 Series Touring 535i M Sport Review: Real Estate

BMW introduces the estate version in Singapore for the very first time. Raymond Lai finds out if the new 5 Series Touring has the substance to match its stylish looks.

OneShift Editorial Team
OneShift Editorial Team
17 Oct 2011
What we like:
pros
Punchy performance
pros
stylish looks
pros
versatility
pros
rides very comfortably
pros
doesn’t cost significantly more than the saloon
What we dislike:
cons
Engine not as silky smooth as BMW’s normally aspirated units
cons
unpopular nature of estates in Singapore

The Touring’s cabin is similar to the saloon’s up front, which means the typical BMW driving environment and plush, comfortable seats. The driver also gets a chunky three-spoke steering wheel that is not too thick and a joy to hold. The current generation 5’s interior is far superior in perceived luxury and build quality over the E60’s when it was first launched. No more the E60’s flimsy and dodgy cup holders but proper ones in front of the gear lever that pop out when you open the lid. The switchgear are mostly familiar BMW items – they not only look good but work with tactility as well.

With a similar wheelbase to the saloon, the Touring offers the same amount of kneeroom at the rear. The rear seat backs in the Touring can have their angles adjusted for the comfort of rear passengers, a feature that the saloon makes do without. The 535i features a four-zone climate control system so rear passengers can have their own individual settings.

The spacious and unimpeded boot area can be accessed by the electrically operated main tailgate or by a smaller opening through the separately opening tailgate window, both of which can be opened via the key fob. The latter is pretty convenient for loading smaller items into the boot. A really fantastic convenient feature for the boot is the auto opening and closing of the load cover – open either the main tailgate or window, the load cover will conveniently fold away to allow access to the boot area. Obviously, the Touring’s boot comes with anchor points to secure cargo with as well as the obligatory load separator system.

Open up the rear tailgate and a large, well-shaped and hugely useable load area greets you. The boot features a flat loading floor and there is little intrusions along the sides from the wheel arches. The Touring’s boot offers 560 litres of boot area, 40 litres more than in the saloon. Tumble down the 40/20/40 split/fold rear seat backs with the pull of a lever though and the Touring will offer an impeded 1670 litres of luggage area.

The 535i Touring is offered with loads of standard equipment. Luxuries like four zone climate control, bi-xenon headlamps, sat nav, 19-inch alloys, soft close function for the doors doors, cruise control, a panoramic sunroof, Park Assistant iPod connectivity, Head up display, BMW ConnectedDrive and so on are standard.

Estate models are generally aren’t as popular here as they are in Europe, which is a real pity indeed when you consider how much more versatile and somewhat prettier the 5 Series Touring is when compared to the ubiquitous saloon model.

Credits: Story and photos by Raymond Lai

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